When to Start Pepper Seed in Pennsylvania
In most of Pennsylvania, pepper seed goes into trays indoors somewhere between early and mid-March, with transplanting outdoors held until after the last…
Gardening in Pennsylvania
Everything we have worked out for Pennsylvania: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Philadelphia, the last spring freeze runs March 29 to April 6 and the first fall freeze runs November 5 to November 16, USDA zones 5a-7b, 4,116 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 21.8 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Pennsylvania: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
What Eats Potato in Pennsylvania, and When
Four insects account for nearly all the documented potato damage in Pennsylvania gardens: Colorado potato beetle, flea beetles, aphids, and tomato…
How High Can a Hedge Be in Pennsylvania? What the Law Actually Says
Pennsylvania has no state law setting a maximum hedge height. Search “hedge height law Pennsylvania” and you won’t find a state statute, because the…
What Do Homes in Pennsylvania Cool With?
Pennsylvania homes cool with a mix that leans central but leaves plenty of room for something else.
Roof Snow Load, Wind Speed and Ice Barrier Rules in Pennsylvania
Explains Philadelphia’s design ground snow load, wind speed, ice barrier rules and the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code that applies them.
Finishing a Basement in Pennsylvania: Permits, Ceiling Height, Egress and Waterproofing
How Pennsylvania’s building code sets basement ceiling height, egress window sizes, permits, and vapor control for a finished basement in any county.
What Eats Parsnip in Pennsylvania, and When
Penn State Extension documents ten vegetable-garden pests across the state, but parsnip only draws real interest from a handful of them.
When to Overseed a Lawn in Pennsylvania
The short answer: in most of Pennsylvania, overseed a cool-season lawn between late August and roughly the third week of September.
First and Last Frost Dates in Pennsylvania
Around Philadelphia, the only city where NOAA has published exact numbers for this state, the last spring frost typically falls between March 29 and…
When to Pick Tomatoes in Pennsylvania, and Ripening the Rest
The short answer: pick ripe tomatoes as they color up through the growing season, then pull everything still on the vine, ripe or not, before the first…